Gaillardia plant named &#39;BARGAISPINOR&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Gaillardia  plant named ‘Bargaispinor’, characterized by its compact and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; strong leaves that resist yellowing; early and freely flowering habit; and large single inflorescences with bright red-colored ray florets with yellow-colored apices.

Botanical designation: Gaillardia×grandiflora.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Bargaispinor’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Gaillardia plant, botanically known as Gaillardia×grandiflora and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Bargaispinor’.

The new Gaillardia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact Gaillardia plants with numerous attractive inflorescences and healthy leaves.

The new Gaillardia plant originated from a cross-pollination in July, 2013 of a proprietary selection of Gaillardia×grandiflora identified as code number GA-0003, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Gaillardia×grandiflora. identified as code number GA-0099, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Gaillardia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands in February, 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Gaillardia plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands, since February, 2014 has shown that the unique features of this new Gaillardia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Gaillardia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Bargaispinor’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Bargaispinor’ as a new and distinct Gaillardia plant:

-   -   1. Compact and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Strong leaves that resist yellowing.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Large single inflorescences with bright red-colored ray         florets with yellow-colored apices.

Plants of the new Gaillardia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gaillardia are more compact and stronger         than plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Gaillardia have stronger and healthier         leaves than plants of the female parent selection.     -   3 Plants of the new Gaillardia flower earlier than plants of the         female parent selection.

Plants of the new Gaillardia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gaillardia are more compact and stronger         than plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Gaillardia have stronger and healthier         leaves than plants of the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Gaillardia and the male parent selection         differ in ray floret color as plants of the male parent         selection have yellow-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Gaillardia can be compared to plants of Gaillardia×grandiflora ‘Sunset Cutie’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,970. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Gaillardia differ from plants of ‘Sunset Cutie’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gaillardia are more compact than plants of         ‘Sunset Cutie’.     -   2. Plants of the new Gaillardia are stronger than plants of         ‘Sunset Cutie’.     -   3. Plants of the new Gaillardia have smaller leaves than plants         of ‘Sunset Cutie’.     -   4. Plants of the new Gaillardia are more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Sunset Cutie’.     -   5. Inflorescences of plants of the new Gaillardia have fewer ray         and disc florets than inflorescences of plants of ‘Sunset         Cutie’.     -   6. Ray florets of plants of the new Gaillardia are brighter in         color and not as dull as ray florets of plants of ‘Sunset         Cutie’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Gaillardia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Gaillardia plant. The photograph is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Bargaispinor’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in 13-cm containers during the summer in a glass-covered greenhouse in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Gaillardia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 22° C. and night temperatures averaged 17° C. Plants were pinched one time and were three months old when the photograph was taken and six months old when the description was taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Gaillardia×grandiflora ‘Bargaispinor’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Gaillardia×grandiflora identified as code number GA-0003,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Gaillardia×grandiflora identified as code number GA-0099,             not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About twelve days at             temperatures about 26° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two weeks at             temperatures about 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About two             weeks at temperatures about 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 16 days             at temperatures about 18° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically             white in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on             substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and             formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of             roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching, medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; compact and             mounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching             habit with about 21 primary branches developing per plant.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 21             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 31             cm.         -   Plant width.—About 40 cm.         -   Branch description.—Length: About 30 cm. Diameter: About             5 mm. Internode length: About 2 cm. Strength: Strong.             Aspect: Upright to about 30° from vertical. Texture and             luster: Pubescent; matte. Color: Close to 146D.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple; sessile.             Length: About 10 cm. Width: About 2.5 cm. Shape:             Oblanceolate; deeply lobed. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate.             Margin: Serrate. Texture and luster, upper and lower             surfaces: Pubescent; matte. Venation pattern: Pinnate.             Color: Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             137D. Fully developed leaves, upper surface: Close to 137D;             venation, close to 146D. Fully developed leaves, lower             surface: Close to 137D; venation, close to 146D. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Single inflorescence form with recurving ray             florets and tubular disc florets; inflorescences held mostly             upright to outwardly on strong peduncles, inflorescences             face mostly upright to outwardly; ray and disc florets             develop acropetally on a capitulum.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering response.—Plants begin flowering about eight weeks             after planting; plants flower naturally during June and July             in The Netherlands.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good             substance for about six weeks on the plant; inflorescences             not persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering habit, about             126 inflorescences develop per plant during the flowering             season.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 17 cm. Depth (height):             About 2.3 cm. Disc diameter: About 2.3 cm.         -   Receptacles.—Height: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 2.3 cm.             Color: Close to 187B.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 8 mm. Diameter: About             1 cm. Shape: Flattened. Color: Close to 187B; mid-section,             close to 144B.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 13 arranged             in a single whorl. Length: About 2.8 cm. Width: About             1.6 cm. Shape: Tri-lobed, deeply laciniate. Apex: Rounded,             obtuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Aspect: Mostly             upright. Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth,             glabrous; matte. Texture and luster, lower surface:             Pubescent; lustrous. Color: When opening, upper surface:             Close to 46A; towards the apex, close to 17B. When opening,             lower surface: Close to 46A; towards the apex, close to 17C.             Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 46A;             towards the apex, close to 17B; distal color becoming closer             to 17C with development.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 130 massed             at the center of the receptacle in about eight whorls.             Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Shape: Fused             tubular. Apex: Acute, five-pointed. Texture and luster,             inner surface: Pubescent; lustrous. Texture and luster,             outer surface: Smooth, glabrous; lustrous. Color: When             opening, inner surface: Close to 46A. When opening, outer             surface: Close to 6D. Fully opened, inner surface: Close to             46A; color does not change with development. Fully opened,             outer surface: Close to 144C; color does not change with             development.         -   Involucral bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 26             arranged in about three whorls. Length: About 1 cm. Width:             About 4 mm. Shape: Elliptical. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused,             truncate. Margin: Entire, ciliate. Texture and luster, upper             and lower surfaces: Slightly rough; matte. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 138A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 22 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright to about 20° from             vertical. Texture and luster: Pubescent; semi-glossy. Color:             Close to 146C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Quantity per floret: Five per disc floret. Filament             length: About 3 mm. Filament color: Close to 155D. Anther             length: About 4 mm. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther color:             Close to 21D. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close             to 17A. Gynoecium: Present on ray and disc florets. Quantity             per floret: One. Pistil length: About 6 mm. Stigma shape:             Two-lobed. Stigma diameter: Close to 1 mm. Stigma color:             Close to 187A. Style length: About 6 mm. Style color: Close             to 155B. Ovary color: Close to 149D.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production have not been             observed on plants of the new Gaillardia. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Gaillardia have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Gaillardia plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Gaillardia have been observed     to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind and rain, to     tolerate temperatures ranging from −15° C. to 35° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Gaillardia plant named ‘Bargaispinor’ as illustrated and described. 